title: Sustained virological response to interferon-α plus ribavirin decreases inflammation and endothelial dysfunction markers in HIV/HCV co-infected patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Hepatitis C virus (HCV) antiviral therapy might lead to decreased chronic immune activation and endothelial dysfunction associated with cardiovascular risk. The aim was to evaluate the effect of HCV eradication on serum markers of inflammation and endothelial dysfunction markers in HIV/HCV co-infected patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  We carried out a retrospective study of 69 HIV/HCV co-infected patients on interferon (IFN)-α plus ribavirin. In addition, 47 HIV-infected subjects were selected as a control group. A sustained virological response (SVR) was defined as an undetectable HCV viral load up to 24 weeks after the end of treatment. Tumour necrosis factor (TNF) receptor-1 (TNF-R1), soluble E-selectin (sE-selectin), soluble P-selectin (sP-selectin), soluble intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (sICAM-1) and soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (sVCAM-1) were measured using a multiplex immunoassay kit.
  
  
  RESULTS
  HIV/HCV co-infected patients had higher values of soluble TNF-R1 (sTNF-R1), sE-selectin and sICAM-1 than HIV mono-infected patients (P < 0.05). SVR patients had a decrease in sTNF-R1, sP-selectin, sE-selectin and sICAM-1 during anti-HCV treatment (P < 0.05) and, at the end of treatment, SVR patients had lower values of sTNF-R1, sE-selectin and sVCAM-1 than non-responder patients (P < 0.05), although the values of sTNF-R1, sP-selectin, sE-selectin and sICAM-1 remained higher than in HIV mono-infected patients (P < 0.05). Moreover, we found a significant positive relationship between an increase in sTNF-R1 and increases in sP-selectin, sE-selectin and sICAM-1 during anti-HCV therapy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Chronic hepatitis C infection induces alterations of markers of inflammation and endothelial dysfunction. Eradication of HCV, following IFN-α and ribavirin therapy, reduces immune activation as well as markers of inflammation and endothelial dysfunction.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Epidemiology of Infectious Diseases, National Centre of Microbiology, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Majadahonda, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: María
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Guzmán-Fulgencio
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Berenguer
authors.forename: Isabel Fernandez
authors.initials: IF
authors.lastname: de Castro
authors.forename: Dariela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Micheloud
authors.forename: Juan Carlos
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: López
authors.forename: Jaime
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cosín
authors.forename: Pilar
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Miralles
authors.forename: Raquel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lorente
authors.forename: Teresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Aldamiz-Echevarría
authors.forename: M Ángeles
authors.initials: MÁ
authors.lastname: Muñoz-Fernández
authors.forename: Salvador
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Resino
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D019040:E-Selectin / Q000097:blood; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000097:blood; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019007:P-Selectin / Q000097:blood; D047888:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Type I / Q000097:blood; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D019562:Viral Load
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D015415:Biomarkers; D019040:E-Selectin; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D019007:P-Selectin; D047888:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Type I; C546936:SELE protein, human; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1; D012254:Ribavirin